


30 Day Jereoff Challenge

by FriendlyCybird



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: M/M, implied one-sided ramwood in chapter 2, implied ryack in chapter 4, mavin crossover in chapter 6, ryack in chapter 6, will add additional tags as they become relevant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2018-05-24 07:54:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 15,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6146845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FriendlyCybird/pseuds/FriendlyCybird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I call it Jereoff, you call it Geoffremy, whatever the name we both know what it actually is.  An goddamn untapped goldmine of a rare pair. - Welcome to a 30 Day Wild Ride of Geoff/Jeremy AU's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Knew You, Met You, Married You. - (Psudo-Midevil Arranged Marriage AU)

Crown Prince Jeremy of Betazeria felt like he’d known Sir Geoff of Rooster his whole life. As long as he could remember, the prince of the southern kingdom had been a figure to emulate. The youngest of four sons, Geoff had given up his principality, his inheritance, to serve his Kingdom with travel and adventure. His skill, cunning, and to hear Jeremy’s uncle Jack tell it even his kindness, and especially his ego made Sir Geoff the face and voice of the Rooster Kingdom worldwide. If Jeremy could grow up half as respected and accomplished, he’d consider his life a success. 

Jeremy had almost no doubt Jack regretted starting him on the stories. Jack was one of Sir Geoff’s closest friends. The personal sponsor of Geoff’s squire even. He’d been Geoff’s first companion in their youth when Geoff first left Rooster after King Hullum’s coronation. Two spare heirs from neighboring kingdoms and a mysterious vagabond from the eastern mountains had become gentlemen of legend. They’d turn the tide of foreign wars in single battles and recovered truly priceless artifacts, often to the glory of Betazeria or Rooster or sometimes just to their rightful kingdom or temple. As long as Jeremy could remember he would greet his Uncle warmly when Jack returned from an adventure, and before the oor man could even so much as rest or relax much less indulge in one of his hobbies, even as a small child Jeremy would be there begging to be told stories of his adventures with Sir Geoff and the Vagabond. 

Jack would always respond the exact same way. He’d sigh heavily, and his shoulders would slump. Then a fond little smile would cross his face, and he would oblige the child. 

Jeremy wondered if his Uncle Jack regretted telling those stories now. 

Of course, he hadn’t actually known Sir Geoff as long as he could remember. Only of him. Jeremy still remembered the day that they’d met as clear as the river they’d met at. It was a spring day in his childhood. He’d been a boy of nearly twelve, old enough to apprentice if he weren’t a Prince, nearly old enough to begin his formal training. Uncle Jack was coming home and Jeremy had begged and pleaded until he’d been tasked with meeting him at the headwaters of Halo River, maybe a dozen miles south of Betatropolis, the capitol. Jeremey remembered he’d expected them to come from farther south, along the riverbank, directly up from Rooster. He could still remember how his heart pounded with anticipation. He was going to meet the men from his uncle’s stories. Among others, he was going to meet Sir Geoff.

Then Jeremy heard horses from the west and had startled. They’d crested the hill and were riding toward him. The gentlemen, his uncle, the Vagabond...there were others. Boys not much older than Jeremy. They’d been laughing, the six of them. None louder than Sir Geoff. It was the best sound Jeremy had ever heard in his young life. The sound of it echoed over the hoofbeats and the rushing of the river headwaters. It left him grinning stupidly. It was Sir Geoff in person.

The laughter died down as they came to a stop. Jack didn’t make introductions, he was too busy saying his goodbyes. Sir Geoff reached across to put a hand on Jack’s shoulder, loudly wishing him well and making plans to sail the islands with him in the summer. Jeremy bounced in place, rocking from the balls of his feet to his heels and back again as he waited. 

Then his waiting paid off in the smallest of ways. While Jack turned away from Geoff to clasp arms just below the elbow with the Vagabond and share words too soft to hear, Geoff turned away as well. Jeremy bounced up slightly, waving his hand high and calling out “Sir Geoff!” Perhaps the wave caught his eye or the call caught his ear but Sir Geoff turned his head and looked over at him. 

They locked eyes for a moment, just a moment. Geoff’s smile was like his laugh, and as it grew Jeremy felt suddenly warmer than the springtime sun. Geoff’s eyes, while heavy lidded, were bright. Then he returned Jeremy’s wave before turning away. 

That was half a lifetime ago for Jeremy, but it was still one of his most vivid memories. In the worst days of his Knights training he’d call up the memory of Sir Geoff’s laugh to pull him through. And oh had the stories he’d grown up on of the man...shaped his approach to certain challenges. Jeremy had the benefit of maturity now, and he recognized those feelings for what they were. A boyhood crush. 

Yet when conflict arose between Betazeria and Rooster, and the solution of an arranged marriage was proposed to settle it...well...Jeremy may have been a bit hasty to accept when Sir Geoff’s name was brought up. 

It was a boyhood crush. Sir Geoff couldn’t possibly live up to the ideal in Jeremy’s head and heart, or be as much the legend as he was in the stories. Yet Jeremy couldn’t help but think back to Sir Geoff’s bright, half-lidded gaze, his wide smile and his infectious laugh, and the spirited wave he’d had to offer a stranger. Geoff didn’t have to live up to anything. Crush or not, maturity or not, this was as close as a good political match for Jeremy would ever get, as close as it could ever be, to marrying for love. 

\-----

Joel had been right all along. Of course he had. Joel had been right all along and dividing the Rooster Kingdom along the Halo River hadn’t even taken two decades to turn disastrous. Oh but Joel hadn’t even just been right, he’d been spot-on. Because the conflict with Betazeria? Was over the fucking spice trade. Burnie and Gus were at each other’s throats and the tension had escalated until the king of Betazeria was threatening to cut the spice trade. 

It was just spice. It wasn’t like it was something the people of Rooster needed to survive, so it didn’t seem like as much of a dick move on the surface as Geoff knew full well it really was. Rooster got spices from Betazeria, and traded them to the coastal kingdoms farther south. It’d been how they’d kept the peace with those kingdoms three generations back. A threat to cut the spice trade was serious and could basically end the Rooster Kingdom as they knew it. Burnie and Gus needed time to sort out their shit, and Matt, sorry,King Hullum, was spending all his time dodging “I told you so”s from Joel and, Geoff would admit, he’d had a few of those for his oldest brother too since if he’d kept the eastern principality like they’d all wanted him to instead of giving it to their less military-minded half-brother Gus, Rooster might have fallen into a full-fledged civil war by now. Of course, one too many “I told you so” from wayward little brothers can make a man do stupid things. In Matt’s case, that stupid thing was a threat of force against their long-time ally. 

Betazeria was small. Agricultural mostly. Sure, it had cities that were the envy of the world and a climate suited to crops that made its spice trade unique enough to be...well...worth starting wars over. Rooster had been their friend, even their protector, but there’d never been an official alliance. Just an at-will trade agreement. That needed to be rectified, or worst case scenario Rooster could find itself at the center of a multi-front war while suffering internal conflict. 

Geoff was the very definition of a spare heir. He was the youngest legitimate son of four. Gus was younger than him and a bastard, figuratively and literally. When Matt’s coronation had come and it was time to decide what to do with the rest of the kingdom, Geoff had backed out and given his share to Gus, who would otherwise have been disinherited completely, and left to go adventure. 

Geoff had always known a time like this would come. He’d be called on for a political marriage or some bullshit. He should have realized when he managed to put it off for as long as he had that it would end up being to a kid half his age. Actually when Matt first told him the situation he thought he was going to have to marry Jack and he laughed his ass off. But no, Jack’s brother had a son who was of age and next in line for the throne. Of course Geoff agreed. He’d seen wars, and he didn’t want that for Rooster in his lifetime. Not with the coastal kingdoms and sure as fuck not with Betazeria. 

Not to mention...Prince Regent of Betazeria? Was a hell of a lot more authority then Geoff had ever expected. 

Then Matt handed him a thick scroll that was filled end to end with writing. 

The writings of his brand new betrothed. 

When Geoff saw it was poetry he was worried that he was marrying a sap. Then he read one and...it was funny? It was structured well and it was a good poem but...Geoff was snickering. The rest of the poems were the same. Well, they weren’t all funny. Some of them were sappy, everything he expected from poems. As classic in content as they were in structure. And then some of them were…

Geoff went back to read some of them four, five, even six times. He reread some of the funny ones too, went back to catch extra layers to the humor. He had some serious poems too, not classically serious. Contemplatively. 

Some of the poems were even about him! Retellings of some of the quests he’d been on, his stories. Jack’s side of his stories, of course, but retold featuring him. 

In the weeks between the agreement and his arrival in Betatropolis, Geoff did little but read out of that damn scroll. Gavin was annoying as dicks about it too, but then when wasn’t he? He was annoying about the whole marriage thing, actually. Geoff couldn’t blame him, finding out your adoptive father was marrying someone younger than you was never going to go over well. 

Geoff had been to and through Betazeria many times in his life but he’d never actually been to Betatropolis before. Enough of the poems in the scroll talked about the capitol city that he almost felt like he’d been there before. The towers and the merchants and the temple all seemed to follow rhythms and structures in his head, like he’d been shown around before he ever arrived. 

It was the same feeling when he finally met the boy. 

Man. His fiance was a a man.

Fuck, he’d gotten old. The kid was a grown man which, he’d been told he was of age but...damn. 

Full beard just for starters. Geoff didn’t know why he’d expected his young betrothed to still be clean-faced. Surrounded by guardsmen there was no denying that he was short, even laughably so but Geoff had already guessed that from some of the poems. What he hadn’t guessed was how powerfully built he was in spite of that.

When their eyes met, maybe Geoff ought to have expected the look of open adoration. He didn’t, and his breath caught. He should have expected how that fucking smile could light up the whole damn courtyard, but he didn’t. The world seemed to rush past him and he started moving involuntarily toward his fiance, wanting nothing more than to have a conversation before the wedding. 

It didn’t happen, and Geoff was swept along to his room and into preparations. 

\-----

In years to come, Geoff would describe the moment in the courtyard as their first meeting, and Jeremy would tremblingly ask if he didn’t remember the wave at the headwaters of the Halo River over a decade previous. 

Geoff would never remember that moment in particular, although he had the context for it. It was largely overshadowed by the pure insanity that had ensued that summer on the islands. He did always tell Jeremy that he felt like he’d known him from the moment he got that scroll of his poetry though. 

Jeremy could yet again one-up him by saying he felt he’d known Geoff his whole life. 

It was something they pretended to fight about often. 

What they could agree on in serious moments though was that, whenever they truly met, whenever they came to know each other...by the time they stood face to face before the priest and joined hands in what the rest of the world considered to be their first meeting…

If they weren’t already in love, they were certainly already more then happy with this arrangement.


	2. We're all a little in love with Geoff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 - Realization. 
> 
> Ryan opened his big mouth and now he's in the middle of an office romance. This is not what he signed up for, he just wants Geoff to be happy.

Ryan Haywood had gotten acclimated to working with genuine assholes. Jeremy Dooley had seemed like a genuine asshole for...a couple of years now. Of course, Ryan had only known him in a professional context. When you work at Achievement Hunter, being an asshole is actually professional behavior. Of course, Jeremy also just happened to be perfect for Geoff Ramsey. Which meant that when he showed his true colors as an actually decent human being, it had to be at the most inconvenient time and in the most annoying way possible. 

Ryan hadn’t signed up for this. He had no interest in playing matchmaker. He just… look, Ryan has a weakness for people who look like kicked puppies. He’ll open his big mouth and offer what he thinks is a word of comfort. Turns out “It’s okay, we’re all a little in love with Geoff.” is the wrong word of comfort. Now Jeremy keeps trying to do the chivalrous thing and take a step back to give Ryan a chance with Geoff. 

If Ryan had a chance in hell with Geoff he was pretty sure that would have happened years ago. 

This wouldn’t be a problem, hell it would even have been a solution if it weren’t for one, really big...well...problem.

Jeremy had a chance in hell with Geoff. 

Ryan didn’t know when he noticed the looks of open adoration becoming mutual. He didn’t know when he noticed the give-and-take between them taking on an increasingly flirty tone. Ryan didn’t know when he noticed the way they seemed to spend that first half hour alone in the office together completely absorbed in each other’s company. When he finally did though, he’d advised Jeremy to make a move. 

Jeremy made a move alright. Except his move was to invite Michael, Gavin, and Jack out to lunch and, on his way out the door, call over his shoulder that Ryan had something to talk to Geoff about. So, maybe he was a genuine asshole after all. He was just trying to be a good person. Badly. 

The door closed behind the departing members of Achievement Hunter and Geoff looked expectantly at Ryan, who just buried his face in his hands. “You...uh, you needed to talk to me?” 

“Yeah.” Ryan said after a moment, looking up, then asking sarcastically “I needed your permission to murder Jeremy when he gets back from lunch.” 

Geoff chuckled once, but looked at Ryan intently. Ryan promptly kicked himself. A sarcastic defense mechanism was only going to make Geoff think something serious was happening. It wasn’t actually serious. Jeremy was being an idiot. “You’ve never needed my permission for murder before.” Geoff observed, then joked “Just have him back to me by the end of the day.” 

“I think we’ve developed a fundamental misunderstanding of how murder works.” Ryan joked back.

Geoff nodded. “I do too, but I like our version better.” 

They laughed together for a moment just long enough for Ryan to come to a decision. So he followed the laugh with a deep breath and then asked “So, about Jeremy…” 

“I knew it!” Geoff turned toward Ryan suddenly. “What’s going on with you two?” 

Ryan shifted, uncomfortably for a moment before offering a smile just shy of a smirk. “Actually, that’s my question.” Geoff was obviously confused, blinking and shaking his head and gesturing for Ryan to continue the thought because he wasn’t following. Ryan allowed himself a flash of amusement at how easily Geoff was letting himself be read right now. “You and Jeremy. What’s going on with the two of you?” 

Geoff was still staring at him blankly. Ryan returned the stare, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head with a gesture of his own. “I…” Geoff began after a moment “...have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about.” 

Ryan sighed heavily. “I don’t have time for this.” he complained, leaning back in his seat. “So I’m just going to say it. I’m not surprised you haven’t seen the way Jeremy looks at you, or noticed how he talks about you or reacts to you. You never do. But Geoff… you’ve been looking back and... “ Ryan trailed off, because Geoff’s level of amusement had significantly dropped off. In fact, Geoff was looking at him completely seriously. Even offended. So Ryan sobered as well. “What?” he demanded sharply.

“I never do?” Geoff asked harshly. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Ryan closed his eyes for a moment. He hated this. He hated that Jeremy was doing this to him. This was why you stop trying to be a good person when you’re asked to. He took a few deep breaths and tried to ignore Geoff’s expression morphing from anger to concern. Ryan stood up and paced to the far side of the room. “Ryan?” 

That was it. It couldn’t just be about him. Ryan laughed slightly. “Imagine working every single day with someone who makes your entire world better...just by being in it. You’re stronger, happier, more creative, for the mere fact that they exist. A person...so...beautiful....” yes, he was staring. Yes. Geoff had made eye contact and yes, Ryan was going to die. “..that you can’t help but look at them like they’re everything...and hang on to every word they have to say. And when they look at you, or smile at you...it’s like standing in the sun.’ Geoff didn’t seem to be breathing, and Ryan knew he’d hit the nail on the head. “...can you imagine that?” 

Geoff exhaled and scrubbed his hands over his face. “I...I don’t think I have to.” he admitted. Ryan nodded, trying to keep his expression neutral and obviously failing. “I’m sorry, Ryan.” Geoff said finally.

Ryan shook his head. “Please dear god don’t be. I was trying to get him to talk to you directly but then I opened my big mouth and here I am.” 

“Yeah...not your best move.” Geoff agreed teasingly. Then, starting to get serious again “...did you…” 

“Don’t.” Ryan interrupted. “Just...don’t.” 

Geoff nodded, then exhaled and commented ‘Wow. Uh. I’m...gonna go get a drink. Or five. I’m not up for taking on this afternoon sober.” 

“I don’t blame you.” Ryan responded, and Geoff headed out, leaving him to try to come down from that...uniquely intense level of stupidity.


	3. You're Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Three, the Reveal: When your OTP confessed their feelings.
> 
> Or, in this case, the requisite Soulmates AU.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit for this idea technically goes to horrificsmut.tumblr.com and her lovely micheoff soulmate AU and the giant spotlight it turned on the part of my brain that houses "age difference soulmate AU fics. Featuring Geoff."   
> Of course, since my version of Jereoff instead of Micheoff, it's like a million times sappier. I'll link to her headcanon on the tumblr version of this post.

Geoff had to be the most amazing person Jeremy had ever met. Determined and ambitious and hilariously lazy and ridiculous. More then that, he was somehow single. Jeremy didn’t ask about what had happened with his soulmate, but Geoff was vocally supportive of people who for whatever reason didn’t find them. His body was covered in tattoos, hiding the one that tied him to his soulmate, if he even had one. The passion he spoke about not needing a mark on your body to tell you who to love, the absolute vitriol when someone insulted non-soulmate matches. Jeremy admired that, and him for it. More than that, it made him feel validated in an emotional way that Jeremy had no words for. 

Jeremy had been born with a soulmate tattoo, and now, at twenty-four years old, he hadn’t been able to find them. Some people didn’t get them until later in life, usually if their soulmate was younger then them. It was placed inconveniently. Right at the base of his neck just above his shoulder blades. Other people had them in more convienent locations. Michael and Gavin had matching marks on their biceps, although it’d taken them forever to realize their marks matched because of how simplistic the design was. But photographs and mirrors and too many hours as a child with a sketchbook had taught him to recognize it on sight. Today in the era of the internet, there was no excuse not to find your soulmate. Your life was destined to cross paths with theirs after all, that was part of being soulmates. And the marks were to help recognize each other when they came. 

When Jeremy had turned twenty-one after almost five years of active searching, he’d gotten drunk alone, locked himself in his room for a week and concluded that he was one of the unlucky ones whose soul mate had died before they met. He’d grieved, he’d struggled with depression. He’d come back. He’d gotten a good job and made some good friends. He was drawn to older men, as a rule. Others who had lost their soulmates, although most had known them. Geoff was the first to also be single and not windowed that he’d met. 

So it really wasn’t a surprise to anyone when things changed between them. 

It started out strictly sexual. A blowjob under a desk. Heated kisses straddling an office chair. Eventually, Geoff took him home. Geoff was forceful in just the right ways. Demanding, gave clear direction but let Jeremy have control without having to worry he was doing something wrong. It was an unparalleled experience. Even Geoff was strangely quiet afterwards, pretending to fall asleep right away the first time or getting up to distract himself with a mindless selection of video game afterwards. At work nothing changed between them, professional friendliness and mutual admiration. But it came with a glow of happiness that Jeremy didn’t have any real context for. 

The third time they were together, Geoff collapsed facedown into his pillow afterwards and let Jeremy take care of him. Stroking his back and admiring the way his skin had become patchwork of ink. Jeremy didn’t know what had happened to Geoff’s soulmate, but he knew that Geoff had rejected the concept so powerfully he’d covered their tattoo, made it indistinguishable from hundreds of other marks that were his choice. It was a powerful statement that Jeremy found himself quietly admiring and tracing the tattoos with his thumb and fingertips, working slowly up from the bottom of Geoff’s back up. His arms were full sleeves, and those would have their own times to be explored. Right now it was time for Geoff’s back and Geoff seemed to relax under the lazy exploration of his hand while he just looked at him. 

Then he got to a familiar place. The base of Geoff’s neck, just above his shoulder blades, and his fingers followed a familiar pattern. Jeremy’s breath caught, and he traced it again. Geoff tensed tellingly, and Jeremy thought he might be sick. 

People talked shit about sex outside of a soulmate bond. Sex with Geoff was beyond mind blowing and better than anything Jeremy had found in the three years since he’d given up on finding a soulmate. If this was the reason it fucked over everything Jeremy had imagined was true about...whatever this was with Geoff. Whatever it was suppose to be. Jeremy traced the too familiar design a third time before breathing a soft “...Geoff?” 

“You FUCK.” Geoff spat, pushing himself to sit up and putting a hand hard on Jeremy’s arm. “Let me see. Let me…” Jeremy sat up and leaned his head down, showing his soulmate tattoo. It was low enough that simple t-shirts kept it half hidden most of the time. Anything with a collar would hide it completely. “...Motherfucker…” Geoff pushed Jeremy away,literally, when he got a good look, and climbed off of the bed. He didn’t start to get dressed and began pacing around. Jeremy watched him for a few moments, his entire body starting to go cold. 

Geoff was his soulmate. 

That was a lot to take in. Start smaller.

“You’re alive.” Jeremy said quietly. His voice was choked. Fuck. He was not going to do this. He wasn’t going to cry about this. Sure, a lot of people cried meeting their soul mates, especially people who met their soulmates later in life. Jeremy had seen the ‘inspirational’ youtube videos of the little old people sobbing their brains out meeting their soulmates for the first times. They made him sick. 

Geoff just stopped. He seemed to soften suddenly, and Jeremy knew exactly what that expression meant even though he wasn’t sure he’d seen it before. Geoff was processing how his actions had affected someone else. “...yeah.” he said softly, sitting back on the bed and, slowly, almost tentatively, reaching for Jeremy’s hand. It was as close to an apology as Jeremy would ever get. 

Jeremy took it instantly and squeezed. Then he asked the question he had sort-of been curious about for a long time and finally had a right to ask. “Why…” he hoped he wouldn’t have to elaborate. 

“You are fifteen years younger than me.” Geoff explained. “Fifteen goddamn years. Can you imagine getting your soulmate mark at fifteen?” 

Jeremy tried to imagine it. Tried to imagine growing up with the uncertainty he’d felt in his late teenage years when he hadn’t been contacted. There were always rumors, people without soulmates. Jeremy vaguely remembered a high school classmate with no tattoo. He’d been bullied for it, mercilessly, and ended up dead in a car accident that was investigated as possible suicide. Jeremy wrapped his arms around Geoff when he remembered that, pulling him in tight and holding. “You’re alive.” he repeated, relieved. “Thank god you’re alive and here and you…” he was doing it. His shoulders shook with the effort of holding in sobs and he just held Geoff tighter and that warm happiness he always help with him took on a sharp definition. 

Geoff pulled back and took Jeremy’s face in his hands. “You really thought your soulmate was dead?” 

Jeremy nodded. Then he made a little choking laugh. “If I could’ve been born sooner for you I would’ve.” he tried to joke. He knew it fell flat but the sentiment carried. It carried well enough that Geoff just leaned in and kissed him. Jeremy thought that knowing would make the kisses different, but it didn’t. It was just as perfect and passionate as it’d ever been and the only change was the understanding. Then when the kiss broke, Jeremy said it “I love you.” 

Geoff almost recoiled. “Because I’m…” 

“I didn’t think I could…” Jeremy tried to cut off before it could become an argument. 

It became an argument. “You can love people who aren’t your soulmate, Jeremy. You...god...you really thought…” and Jeremy simply nodded, shying away from Geoff’s anger. Because he’d taken comfort in hearing Geoff say that over and over again. Talking about non-soulmate matches, talking about finding happiness in yourself and being a complete person on your own without a soulmate and then, if you happen to be lucky enough to have one, giving that whole person to them. It’d been a comfort. He’d taken those words and he’d lived by them and now everything was upside down and explained and he realized that he’d never believed them the way he should because that feeling? He’d never identified it. 

“I know, I know you can, I know it’s possible to. I just...I didn’t think I could.” Jeremy tried to explain. “Or...I hoped I could but...I didn’t have the emotional context for what love is besides that it’s what I would feel when I met my soul mate. It’s always just been a word. No one told me it would feel so much like happiness. Except bigger.” because despite the feeling, and the certainty afforded him by their marks, Jeremy still didn’t have the language for it. 

Geoff seemed to soften again, and he pulled Jeremy close. “We have a lot of bullshit to work through.” he said softly. Then he sighed heavily. “Jeremy...don’t...I get that this is life-changing. For both of us. But. I was starting to seriously fall for you anyway. Before I knew.”   
Jeremy nodded. “Good.” he smiled up at Geoff. “We’ll get through the bullshit, right?” 

“Well we kind-of have to now!” Geoff shrieked, mostly joking in his outraged tone and Jeremy nearly doubled over laughing, pressing his forehead to Geoff’s shoulder as they just held each other and fell back against the bed together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, my tumblr name is also friendlycybird if anyone wants to follow me/this story there as well.


	4. A Real Date (FAHC)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 - First Date - Your OT"s first Date
> 
> An offhanded comment from Gavin alerts Geoff to the fact that, despite the fact that he and Jeremy have been together for months, they've never been on a real date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The particular FAHC headcanons and 'verse used here are almost entirely pulled from Culture Shock by AdvantageTexas. Which, if for some reason you like Jereoff enough to read my crap and haven't read Culture Shock, you are deeply depriving yourself and should go fix that right away.

It wasn’t like it was a new relationship. 

In fact, Jeremy was pretty sure that the entire reason that it happened was that the rest of the crew wanted to give them some alone time. Everyone knew Geoff got touchy when Jeremy got protective on a job, even a low key job like a supply agreement. So when they got home from securing an explosives delivery for Michael, everyone else cleared out. Jeremy spent the rest of the evening reassuring his very vocally pleased boss that he wasn’t going to do anything stupid and being reassured of exactly how much he was loved. 

They were just dressed enough to be decent and sharing a bottle of something expensive with Geoff half laying on Jeremy on the couch when the rest of the crew came home. They heard Michael whooping with excitement before the door opened, although Ryan and Jack came through first. Jack stepped out of the way and directly against Ryan’s side as he put an arm around her while Michael and Gavin pushed through the door together at top speed, almost tripping over each other. 

Michael caught Gavin and steadied him as they both continued laughing and Ryan calmly reached and closed the door behind them. Geoff sat up, demanding “What the HELL happened?” leaving Jeremy uncomfortably cold and shifting down on the couch and farther out of sight. 

“Just some...crazy double-date nonsense.” Gavin laughed. 

Jeremy sat up just enough to protest “aww and you didn’t invite us?” and was instantly flattened by the weight of his boyfriend going abruptly boneless against him and staring off into the distance. “Geoff?” he asked, laughter and concern mixing in his voice as he was aware whatever had just happened was being over-dramatized. 

“Jeremy.” Geoff responded, turning to look at him, eyes fully open leaving him with what seemed to be a faux alarmed expression. Jeremy failed to stifle the laugh that the expression caused but kept it mostly contained. “We’ve never been on a date.” Geoff explained seriously. Jeremy opened his mouth to protest, disagree, list a counterexample, or even just say something sarcastic. He closed it again as the realization dawned that Geoff was completely right.

Which was why, less than a week later, Jeremy found himself dressed up. He’d tried for a full, dark suit with a matching tie and Gavin had grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him back into his bedroom telling him that “Geoff doesn’t need to be thinking about your funeral.” and got him changed into something significantly less stiff. The same dark colors, the same expensive cuts, but loser on his frame and no tie. The shirt collar was still out of the ordinary. Jeremy wasn’t use to seeing Gavin as some sort of fashion expert, but he was the crew chameleon. He knew what to do with his own body to make whatever impression he needed, it wasn’t much of a stretch he could do the same with others bodies as well. 

Geoff was in his tux. He looked...good. Formal. Perfectly groomed and everything in place and Jeremy half wanted to throttle Gavin for letting him show up underdressed. Until, of course, he saw the way Geoff looked him up and down and then he smirked. He looked good and his boyfriend liked it. His boyfriend liked it enough that there was a point on the way there that the clothes almost stopped being an issue. Of course, that had as much to do with the fact that Geoff had decided that a fucking private jet was appropriate transportation to a first date. Jeremy was impressed enough that a certain amount of effort went into not ripping the tuxedo off of Geoff on the flight. 

They went to an authentic Mexican place that Geoff liked, in Mexico. Authentic, and high-class. As in, almost anyone else would have needed a reservation booked as much as months in advance. Jeremy was pretty sure he heard Geoff drop the name “Hullum” to get in. For a moment he felt an almost sickly sort of guilt that Geoff was using his old Roosters connections for something as trivial as a date with him. Then Geoff ordered for both of them in extremely clumsy spanish and took Jeremy’s hand over the table and gave him a smile so loving and warm it evaporated that sense of guilt in it place. Still. 

“Will...will Hullum mind you name dropping him for a date?” Jeremy asked softly, conspiratorially, slightly frightened. 

Geoff actually laughed, which was somehow both reassuring and very not. “If it even gets back to him, I think Matt will just be glad to hear I’m getting laid.” Jeremy blinked, and Geoff laughed and clarified “Hullum. Matt Hullum. Not your Matt.” then Geoff squeezed Jeremy’s hand in a way that signaled a need to change topics because of the emotions involved. Jeremy wasn’t too surprised, Geoff didn’t much like talking about his connections to the Roosters. He suspected he’d find out why someday, but that wasn’t first date conversation. It wasn’t date conversation at all, it was curled up in the safety of their bed at home after satisfying sex and a bottle of something good and warm conversation. 

The conversation they had until their meal was delivered was simple and pleasant, admiring the restaurant. Once the food arrived, conversation turned to that; and to Geoff’s almost impossibly high spice pallet. This mostly took the form of Geoff laughing at the colors Jeremy turned before eventually taking pity and ordering milk for him. 

On the plane they relaxed back into a seat together and enjoyed long, lazy kisses that Jeremy expected to escalate when they got home. Except they didn’t go home. Geoff pulled back and smirked at him as soon as they were back in the United States and asked quietly “How would you like an adventure?” 

“What kind of adventure?” Jeremy asked.

“Private heist.” Geoff asked, eyes gleaming with excitement. “Just you and me and a big-ass royal emerald currently in the possession of a museum in San Diego?”   
Sometimes, Jeremy realized he’d forgotten why he fell in love with Geoff in the first place. But as the first wave of adrenaline hit at the idea he leaned in and breathed “whatever you say, boss.” before kissing him. The sound Geoff made was more than worth it. 

The fact was, both of them had become criminals for a reason. That reason wasn’t the luxuries like this jet or the penthouse or even this whole date although none of that hurt. It sure as hell wasn’t the endless political negotiating and information brokering that wore both of them down. Favors for favors and killing these assholes to stay in those assholes good graces because they have better guns. It was this, a simple, stupid plan that putting into action and getting away with would give them a better high than any drug on the market. 

They got gear together as they went over the plan. Parachuting in, drop point was a distance away they’d have to make a run in. Security was decent but not the tightest they’d ever dealt with. Jeremy grabbed Geoff and dragged him into a heated kiss when he was handed additional climbing gear and a diamond glass cutter. Geoff smiled and informed him that “Jack should be waiting for us about two blocks down from the museum, but if things get hot, one of us can call her to bail us out.” 

Things got hot. Landing, approach, and entry went almost too smoothly. The problem was Jeremy was too psyched up to have the patience for properly disarming the security alarms. So when Geoff got his hands on the emerald, there were guards. That wasn’t so bad, the guards hadn’t expected anything and the firefight was over quickly without much risk. 

Except the cops had been called, and there were at least four squad cars. If they’d had the rest of the crew with them Jeremy wouldn’t have hesitated but as it was they came to the simple agreement “Call Jack.” as they got to cover and engaged. 

“Hey Jeremy?” 

Jeremy tried not to panic. Jack was right around the corner, they had what they came here for. There was no reason for Geoff to take that tone. “Yeah boss? You okay?” 

Geoff’s laughter was a relief. “I’m great!” There was a beat of silence before he added “I love you.” Jeremy would have closed his eyes if he could afford to take his eyes off the fight for a second. Instead he took a moment to reassess the risk. Geoff ether thought there was a genuine chance of this going very badly, or else he just had shit timing. 

“I love you too.” Jeremy said anyway. Just in case, though he meant it. 

Jack pulled up a matter of seconds later and Geoff practically dragged Jeremy into the car, diving into the backseat and pulling Jeremy along as Jeremy mostly put down cover fire. The firefight didn’t continue long past the extraction. They, and almost surprisingly, their car, got away completely intact.   
Whoops of excitement filled the car and the adrenaline rush and crash swirled through Jeremy’s brain. Eventually he and Geoff got lost in each other again and only vaguely were pulled out of it by Jack’s “do me a favor and don’t fuck in my car please?” 

Geoff wasn’t hurt. They had the emerald. All was well. Geoff passed the emerald to Jack for safekeeping and to take home with her, and she dropped them off less than an hour up from their heist for the next leg of their date. “There’s more?” Jeremy protested, already in a mindset of wanting to take Geoff home and fuck his brains out. Which, the more he thought about it the more he wondered if that’s what Geoff was actually trying to accomplish with pulling the L-word out while they were being shot at. 

“Deniability.” Geoff answered. “There’s a couple of gangs in San Diego I’d rather not know we’re the ones who got the emerald. Dinner in Mexico and a show in Orange County, it’s a little tight to think it was us.” Geoff smirked “besides, did you really think I’d take you on an actual date...and not use it as an excuse to force you to sit through a movie with me?” 

Jeremy groaned, more at Geoff taking another stab at his long history of ineptitude at movie watching then anything, but the part he commented on was “Do I want to know who we’ve managed to piss off?” 

“If we’re lucky, no one.” Geoff answered immediately. “If we’re not so lucky...eh…” he shrugged and put an arm around Jeremy’s shoulders, tugging him in affectionately as they walked toward the luxury cinema together. “Let me worry about that.” 

Jeremy sighed and leaned into the touch. The affectionate response was necessary so his detached “Sure thing, Mr. Ramsey.” didn’t come out as cold as it could have. Geoff squeezed his shoulders lightly by way of apology. 

The movie wasn’t half bad. Or maybe that was just the steady stream of drinks and the weight of Geoff’s head against his shoulder throughout. It was a comedy, so he was also treated to Geoff’s laughter half a dozen times in just under two hours. 

When the movie was over, it turned out that a car had been left here for the two of them. They drove the rest of the way back to Los Santos and to the penthouse. 

Jeremy thought he deserved congratulations for letting Geoff get undressed himself after all that.


	5. In Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 - Reminder 
> 
> Geoff replaces what he breaks, and Jeremy understands that Geoff isn't as breakable as he seems.

They say that you should date someone who can make you laugh in bed. No one ever mentions the possible consequences of this. 

“Fuck…” Geoff’s voice trailed off in a way that sounded just enough like an apology for Jeremy to take it as one. 

“It’s okay.” He reassured. “I’ll just. Get a new pair.” 

His sunglasses, his trademark sunglasses that he always wore, were broken. A lens was popped out and the entire center of them was distorted and bent, The victim of a comedic moment in the middle of a heated make out where Geoff tossed them across the room. Jeremy had laughed his ass off as things resumed and heated and ended with Jeremy fucking the thoroughly pleased older man into the mattress. 

“...I’ll get you a new pair.” Geoff offered. 

“It’s okay.” Jeremy reassured. 

“No, I broke them, I’ll replace them.” Geoff insisted.

No one else could tell the difference between the pairs of sunglasses, no one had even commented. Geoff had picked up the new set on the way into work that same morning. They were about fifty dollars more expensive than the ones he’d had before. Hopefully that meant they were better quality and could stand up to another stunt like that. 

Geoff had no intention of pulling another stunt like that. 

Jeremy already always wore his sunglasses, or at least almost always. He wore them even more now, or at the very least had them on his person. Because now, these sunglasses served as a constant reminder of Geoff. His sense of humor, his generosity, and everything that there was between them. No one had any clue. 

\---

Jeremy was one of the sweetest, kindest, most affectionate and careful and genuinely loving people Geoff had ever met and that was without a shadow of a doubt why Geoff loved him. Jeremy was also intuitive, and could pick up on other people’s desires and act on them.

What that meant for Geoff was that nine times out of ten Jeremy’s gentleness evaporated when they were in bed together. Jeremy handled him roughly and he liked it, it was that simple. It was always respectful, but unflinching. Jeremy did whatever Geoff asked and with passion and force. 

This was why sometimes, the bruises on Geoff’s hips after a night with his boyfriend could last for days. He could feel them when he was walking, or when he moved particularly quickly in his seat. It was a welcome kind of soreness. One that took him back to how Jeremy could, and did, manipulate his body seemingly effortlessly. It would remind him of soft kisses and hard thrusts and how Jeremy was always attentive and intense. 

He never let the bruises completely fade away, although there were subtle changes in position. They were also a reminder to not go without his boyfriend’s attentions for too long. Not that he needed that reminder, sitting across the room from Jeremy while he was being so goddamn cute day in and day out. He’d drag Jeremy home to get his reminders refreshed, whether he needed them or not.


	6. Found Family - Mavin Crossover (Geoff Practically Raised Gavin AU)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day Six - New To the Family
> 
> Gavin is Coming Home for Christmas and when Geoff puts together the pieces that his ride might actually be his boyfriend, he realizes that there may actually be consequences for never mentioning that he's seeing someone either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm only...Ten Days Late. FUCK everything. Holy shit. 
> 
> Special thanks to everyone who helped me put this together. 
> 
> Scene 2 has identical dialogue as the Mavin Day 6 chapter, and Scene 3 is completely identical.

Jeremy had only met Jack and Ryan briefly before today, and that had been extremely deliberate. Mostly because they were Geoff’s friends, and seeing Geoff and Jack together only reminded him that there were parts of Geoff’s life and history he could never come near. For all that his boyfriend was only seven years older than him, sometimes it felt like a lifetime. Today was one of those times.

“So, you guys...raised...Gavin?” Jeremy asked for clarification as the four men sat around the dinner table together. Dinner itself was being slow-cooked. Geoff and Ryan worked together on the preparation and Jeremy took some comfort in the loving way Jack had watched Ryan. He gestured between Jack and Geoff and asked “the two of you?” 

“Well, Geoff is his legal guardian…” Jack started to dismiss. 

“Was, that dissolved when he turned eighteen.” Geoff reported. Then he explained “When I was in high school, this scrawny little british pre-teen showed up at my foster home. He was an asshole but somehow he didn’t actually hate the whole world yet. So I...uh...I decided to make things better for him.” He gestured at Jack and said “This guy kept me from losing my fucking mind when I realized what a bad idea trying to raise a kid right out of high school is.”

Jack chuckled and looked away, and Ryan put a hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder. Jack smiled at Ryan, then at Geoff. Jeremy scooted reflexively closer to Geoff and was rewarded with a reassuring hand on his knee, which he covered with his own. Geoff’s right hand went to his buzzing phone as Jack explained “Gavin’s only about five years younger than me, but things happened so fast it really was like having a son until he went to college.” 

“Still is for me.” Geoff mumbled, firing back a return text with a deep frown on his face. “The little shit just thought to ask if his ride could stay the night. Apparently this Michael guy has to go all the way to Jersey and Gavin doesn’t want him driving in the dark.” 

“Isn’t Michael Gavin’s new boyfriend?” Jack asked.

Geoff startled, squeezing Jeremy’s knee. Jeremy glanced at him, concerned. “If he is, he hasn’t said a damn thing to me about it. I mean, he mentions Michael maybe twice a week but nothing concrete, nothing about them dating. I assumed the guy was straight.” 

Jeremy hesitated, and Jack and Ryan had identical reactions. It was Ryan who said what they were all thinking “Geoff...you assumed I was straight.” He’d assumed the same of Jeremy at first, and boy that had been an awkward coming out. 

“Yeah, that’s how you stole Jack from me, asshole.” Geoff joked. Jeremy tried not to wince and reminded himself that wasn’t how the timeline had played out at all. Jack offered him a sympathetic smile, which Jeremy returned. Geoff was distracted by his phone though, so it was forgivable. He was frowning deeply. “...yeah, Michael might be Gavin’s boyfriend. He just said Michael can stay in his room.” 

“I mean that doesn’t prove anything…” Ryan tried to reason.

“I can’t believe Gavin would go and get a boyfriend and not tell me!” Geoff shrieked, practically in his own world. Jeremy reached over and started rubbing Geoff’s back. “That’s important, right? He should have told me!” 

“Did you tell him about me?” 

Jeremy hadn’t meant for the question to come out like an accusation, but it hung in the air uncomfortably for several moments. Geoff finally sank onto the table, face down in his crossed arms, groaning “That’s no excuse.” He finally mumbled. Then he lifted his head to send another text, tapped for several long moments, and then turned off his phone. “Well, he knows now!” 

They spent the better part of the next hour trying to convince Geoff that had been an awful idea. Geoff had gone petulant though, and Jack changed the subject. A new conversation that had less than half an hour to develop when Ryan tensed and looked at the door. Everyone followed his gaze, and it had only just processed that a car had pulled up outside when the front door slammed open and a thin young man stood in the doorway, clearly enraged. “Who the bloody hell is Jeremy?” 

More than anything, as another young man appeared at the first’s shoulder, Jeremy felt a sinking sensation around a sudden realization that he really ought to have put together sooner. Even while Geoff stood up and promptly engaged in a shouting match with the young man Jeremy could only assume was Gavin, all he could do was sit there, stunned, realizing that the young man Geoff had raised, thought of as a son… Gavin…

Gavin was older then him. 

\-----

 

Thank fuck for Jack Pattillo, always saving his ass. 

In this case, saving his ass amounted to clearing out everyone besides Geoff and Gavin to go pick out a Christmas Tree for the house, including the curly-haired Jersey boy who hovered around Gavin like a fucking bodyguard. The silence waiting for everyone to go was almost unbearable. Worse was the way Gavin fucking looked at this Michael kid basically shredded Geoff. 

Geoff sat heavily at the table and poured himself a glass of whiskey. Gavin pushed off the wall near the front door where he was leaning and walked over, standing over and asking “Does Jeremy know you still drink before dinner?” 

“Why are you so bitter about Jeremy anyway?” Geoff demanded before taking a long drink from the glass he’d poured. 

“I’m not bitter!” Gavin protested, a little too severely. He seemed to realize this instantly, as he quickly defended “I’m not. I’m just shocked.” 

Shocked. Fucking...shocked? Dick. “Why is me having a boyfriend so fucking shocking?” 

Gavin winced, tried to clarify. ”That’s not what I’m shocked about!” 

Geoff scrubbed a hand over his face, bracing for it. He’d been afraid of this. “Is it that he’s so young?” 

“Geoff! No!” Gavin cried, voice somewhere between scolding and breaking. “You know why I’m upset stop being such a prick!” 

Geoff just got pissed. “Oh, I’m sorry! Are you upset I didn’t tell you about Jeremy? Wow. Here I thought you’d be just fine with that given that I didn’t know about Michael…” he knew his tone was scathing and mocking and he legitimately didn’t give a shit. He was actually furious. 

“You knew Michael existed!” Gavin shot back “You knew we were close, knew I wanted him over for dinner at least! My god, Geoff, you knew Michael was lactose intolerant before I’d even so much as heard Jeremy’s name and I’m not even living with Michael!” 

Geoff looked away. That was a solid point, he had known more about Michael then he’d disclosed about Jeremy. It wasn’t the same though, it didn’t matter and he couldn’t articulate the reasons. So instead he just downed the rest of his glass, slammed it on the table and said “...C’mon. We should try to get the lights up before the guys get back.” And got to his feet to start toward the attic. 

They found the box with the Christmas lights easiy, and climbed through the attic window on the roof. They worked in relative silence for several minutes, Gavin had stopped pushing, just like Geoff intended. When Gavin spoke, it was to blurt out an explanation.“Michael’s not out.” Geoff looked up, surprised that Gavin would waste his time with a closet case. “I mean, at school he is” Gavin clarified “but even that was an accident. He’s not out at home though, it wasn’t my place to tell you he’s my...he’s my boyfriend.” Gavin ducked his head, blushing. “We hadn’t even put a label on it yet.” 

“Jesus.” Geoff murmured, watching Gavin as it truly sank in. That attentive affection he’d seen in the doorway went both ways. His kid had it bad. 

“Yeah.” Gavin responded, tone going brittle. “What’s your excuse, Geoff?” 

Geoff sighed heavily. Gavin’s excuse was...a good one, if not completely flawless. He took in a breath and continued working for a few beats before he started to explain. “...Jeremy...sounds like a bad idea. On paper Jeremy and I are a bad fucking idea. I wanted you to meet him before you snapped to any judgements.” 

“Geoff, when have I ever not trusted your judgement?” 

Geoff snorted “When have you ever trusted my judgement, Gavin?” He demanded

Gavin’s tone dropped from argumentative to hurt. “I’m in college, aren’t I?” He stopped and faced Geoff, expression serious.

Geoff shook his head. “You’d have gone to college with or without me kicking your ass. You always wanted it, you just needed me to remind you I wasn’t helpless without you.” 

Gavin studied him for a moment, considering. “Geoff, look. Even if I didn’t approve of Jeremy. As a person or as an idea or whatever you were worrying about, all I’d need to know is that he makes you happy.” He smiled gently and shook his head. “I’ll get use to the rest. And if he he stops making you happy or he hurts you or something, I think Ryan is the one who knows how to contract for hitmen on the internet so I don’t actually have to do anything.” 

Geoff chuckled at the old joke at Ryan’s expense. Ryan wasn’t actually as scary as they all liked to pretend he was, although despite the fact that Gavin laughed with him sometimes Geoff wasn’t sure Gavin actually knew that yet. The mood was lightened and Geoff felt a good deal better. 

Until, of course, a realization occurred. “...Michael’s from Jersey. Telling me about him wouldn’t out him to anyone he knows, Gavin.” 

Gavin instantly snapped. “We haven’t even put a label on it, Geoff! We’ve been on dates, half of my things are in his dorm, I love him but I have no idea if he feels the same.” The words had just rushed out, and it was obvious Gavin hadn’t meant to say that. He dropped his head and seemed to be blinking back tears. 

It was all Geoff could do not to hug the boy. Instead he just asked softly “Have you told him?” 

Gavin turned an even darker shade of red. “Well...yes. But not when it… mattered.” 

“What?” Geoff was confused. “Not when it…” the embarrassed yet slightly suggestive look on Gavin’s face explained everything. “Oh.” 

“Oh.” Gavin confirmed before returning his attention to the task of setting up the Christmas lights. Geoff joined him, a reassurance that all his years experience reading people said that Michael’s behavior indicated he felt the same way about Gavin right on the tip of his tongue when Gavin, true to his nature, flipped the script. “What about you and Jeremy? Have you two said the big L-word yet?” 

Geoff glared “Why are we talking about this?” 

“Mostly so you don’t try to talk to me about sex.” Gavin answered teasingly. 

Geoff groaned “Why don’t we talk about Christmas instead?” 

“You know what I think?” Gavin started, and Geoff whined in protest of the direction this was going “I think he’s said it, and you haven’t worked up the guts to say it back.” 

“Gavin, I swear to god, I will push you off this roof.” 

Gavin grinned, looking suddenly every inch the predator with cornered prey “I’m right, aren’t I?” 

Geoff smirked, taking his own turn to flip the script “So how’s Michael’s dick?” 

“It’s very lovely, thank you.” Gavin answered without missing a beat. His entire face, ears included, however, had gone approximately the color of a cherry. 

“Jesus Christ…” Geoff grumbled. 

“...I'm never gonna call Jeremy ‘dad’ though.” Gavin commented

“You don’t even call me dad, you jackass!” 

\----

 

The drive out to pick up the tree had been awkward, silent, and tense. Selecting the tree had been halfway engaging, Michael having voiced his opinion that their initial selection was “shit” and being coaxed into helping them make a better selection. Jeremy’s wince when Michael first weighed in was visible, but somehow Jack had magically managed to get both of them talking before the axe was swung. 

By the time the four of them had to work together, they’d fallen into a groove like they’d been a team for years. Michael was loud, and could communicate a set of instructions over a wide area quickly. Michael, Ryan, and Jeremy all had a decent level of strength and fitness and none of them complained too seriously about Jack’s desire to hang back and coordinate. Although once the tree was secured down Michael and Jeremy spent most of the drive back teasing Ryan mercilessly for it. (“Hey, I do for my boyfriend, okay?”) 

The tension rose when they approached the house. Red-faced from cold as the heater in Jack’s truck was less than perfect. No one was sure if Geoff and Gavin had gotten their communication problems worked out. The lights had been hung up and were on and the house looked good. Then they approached the front door and they could still hear yelling. Ryan bit his lip, trying not to be too amused at the way Michael and Jeremy slowly turned to look at each other with deeply concerned expressions. Each genuinely worried their presence had ruined their boyfriend’s relationship with each other. 

Jack fought back his own amusement as he opened the front door and the words under the shouting became apparent. 

“ - more like a tablespoon, and even if it were a fucking teaspoon it’d still be too much salt!” Geoff was shouting.

“How could a teaspoon be too much salt?” Gavin challenged, just as loudly “It’s a teaspoon! In this whole, big, pile of dough!” 

“Are they messing with my bread?” Ryan mumbled, starting toward the kitchen.

He stopped when Geoff answered for him “Because they’re cookies, Gavin! You don’t need more than a pinch of salt in cookie dough!” 

“You need more than a pinch, don’t you?” 

“You just need a pinch!” 

“I could just look up the recipe…” 

“Gavin, I’ve been making Christmas Cookies since before you were born.” 

“You so were not making Christmas cookies when you were four!” 

The yelling continued for a few moments. Ryan relaxed, content that his bread was safe, and shifted to Jack’s side to help him contain his laughter. Michael and Jeremy, already masters if silent communication after mere hours, glanced at each other and crossed to their respective boyfriend’s sides. 

A long kiss per couple later and everyone agreed to try half a teaspoon of salt - but that everyone who’d gone out for the tree was starving and dinner came first. 

It was still a week out from Christmas proper, but that night felt more like a holiday then most holidays in the last few years had. It’d been too long since Jack had gotten to enjoy Ryan’s homemade bread and Geoff’s crockpot stew at the same dinner table. Afterwards, Michael did his damndest to try to defend Geoff’s cookie cutter collection against everyone else’s mockery, and Geoff appreciated the effort but understood that no one could mistake the so-called Santa Claus shaped cookie cutter for anything but a dick. 

They put up the tree while the cookies were baking, and when Michael and Jeremy’s natural propensity for teamwork showed and Geoff jokingly teased Gavin that “I think your boyfriend is trying to steal my boyfriend.” Geoff ended up pinned to the couch by Jeremy and completely taken out of the process until it was time to decorate with kisses. 

Ryan sighed heavily and noted “It’s a little weird that no one who actually lives here had really done much with the tree…” 

Jack shook his head. “It’s Geoff’s house. It’s not weird at all.” 

When the tree was up and secure, they decorated cookies instead, leaving the tree for Geoff and his family another day. Most of the “Santas” did end up being decorated as dicks. 

Jack and Ryan took the guest room, as they’d planned for the night. Michael followed Gavin to his room and everything went quiet for the night. Everything was silent for several moments when Jack made the quiet comment “...I think our family got bigger.” 

Ryan nodded and rested his head on Jack’s shoulder. “Are you okay?” 

Jack nodded, wrapping his arm around Ryan and settling it. “Yeah. Just...extra cards to buy, that’s all.” 

Smirking, Ryan kissed Jack’s cheek and shook his head. “Utum. Couples Cards.” 

Jack couldn’t help but laugh.


	7. Blushing King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 - Laughter.  
> Kings AU - There are some funny things in the buildings of Achievement City and it's surrounding lands, and King Geoff wants to know who put them there.

King Geoff hadn’t commissioned that wall to have a dick design on it, but that wall had a dick design on it. What’s more, Jack hadn’t even noticed the dick design until Geoff thanked him for it. It was a great little inside joke between the two men now, every time they passed the damn wall in the courtyard, they snickered to each other.  
Gavin had thought the wall design was floral until Geoff pointed it out to him. The noise Gavin made was probably the best laugh Geoff got out of that wall in its entire existence. Unfortunately, the young prince had a point, as hilarious as the wall was, they were in negotiations with Mogar. Mogar was a warrior from a simplistic and primal culture and they honestly had no idea how he’d react to a wall covered in dick designs. So Geoff had, reluctantly, covered it with a tapestry.  
So now it looked like Geoff thought gold star patterns were funny, because he snickered every time he passed the tapestry. 

Six months later Geoff almost fell off his horse because for some shitty reason there was one goddamn block of lapis lazuli in the middle of the road out to the sea. It was a simple cobblestone road, unadorned, it’d been a project he’d let Jack oversee maybe years ago at this point. It was about wide enough for two carts to go side-by-side all the way down to the ocean. And right there, about six miles from the road’s city of origin was one single little chunk of fucking lapis lazuli. Wedged in just like another cobble brick but unmistakably not. No one had ever mentioned it, Geoff didn’t even know how he’d spotted it.  
He didn’t even know why he thought it was so funny. It was the dumbest shit he’d ever seen. There’d been more than a little concern that Geoff was losing his mind or, as a more immediate threat, going to stop breathing or actually fall off his horse just from how hard he was laughing. Even once he got to the sea he was still giggling about it every few hours.  
Jack disavowed all knowledge of it, and didn’t even seem to understand why Geoff thought it was so amusing. 

A few weeks later Geoff, Jack, and Gavin were heading to one of the Kingdom’s more lucrative mines. It was a bit of a trip so they’d chosen to go by cart. Jack went ahead, and Geoff and Gavin followed together as they often did so the long journey could be passed with conversation. It was one thing that the King and his son had in common, they were both easily bored and so most of the times the young Prince actually came along on something was Geoff just trying to remedy that.  
Just past the first bend of the first tunnel into the mine, a good deal from where the workers were actually making progress anymore, Geoff’s eye caught a flash of color. Red. He was confused until a moment later another flash, Yellow? The green flash a moment later he was able to pick out was from a torch, somehow. And the blue one following that he was able to see was a tiny fleck of lapis embeded in the wall behind the torch.  
Now that Geoff knew what he was looking for, he made out that the next flash of red was redstone. The yellow was gold. The green was emerald. It was a goddamn rainbow on repeat for the better part of two miles. It lasted all of five minutes by minecart, and could only be seen if you were moving fast enough that the torchlight would make the color flash across the room, so in a minecart.  
Gavin looked like he was going to puke.  
Geoff spent the rest of the trip laughing.  
“Okay.” Jack confirmed when they got to the mine proper. “That had to be Jeremy. He’s the only one I know with the patience for this sort of thing.” 

It turned out, Geoff had discovered Jeremy’s sense of humor in almost exact reverse order. Jeremy had worked in the mines as a kid, before it was much of anything. His work securing and reinforcing the tunnels to the deeper, more lucrative mines had gotten him a position with an actual build team out on the far borders of the kingdom. His build team had done good work and been hand-selected by Jack for some special projects near and eventually in Achievement City. 

It turned out, the more Geoff and Jack traced it back, Jeremy responsible for dozens of hilarious little touches to Achievement City and its surrounding roads and towns. Geoff wanted to meet this kid, and so Jack set it up. He followed his friend to the residential area of the city and eventually just walked into the kids house.

Jack had mentioned that Jeremy was short. He hadn’t mentioned that Jeremy had broad shoulders, graceful build, and a face like a fucking angel. One look at the boy and Geoff had to turn to glare at his friend. It was a glare he hoped Jack interpreted correctly because there were only so many silent ways to express you didn’t tell me he was hot you asshole. 

“Geoff, this is Jeremy. Jeremy, this is King Geoff.” Jack introduced calmly. Then he smirked at Geoff and took his leave. Geoff made a mental note to beat the shit out of his friend later. He’d read it right, and was abandoning him. Geoff turned to look at Jeremy, suddenly startled and helpless.  
Jeremy had the biggest, dopiest grin on his face. And when Geoff just looked at him helplessly he burst into laugher. “I’m sorry, your Majesty, you just...you look so lost…”  
Geoff thought for an instant his ears had caught fire.  
Turned out he was just blushing.  
A blushing King, it turned out, was something Jeremy thought was even more hilarious.


	8. Where The Heart Is

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 8 - First Kiss  
> Jeremy likes Christmas. So why is he dreading Christmas Break?   
> Oh yeah. Doctor/Professor for-the-love-of-God-call-me-Geoff-I’m-not-a-pretentious-dickhole Ramsey wouldn't be there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the June 8th Update Binge.   
> This fic is not dead! Just...challenge...challenged.  
> You'll get all 30 parts eventually.

Jeremy liked Christmas.He liked giving and receiving presents, putting up trees and decorating and baking cookies. He loved his family and had missed them all term. It made absolutely no sense he would rather spend all three weeks watching Doctor/Professor for-the-love-of-God-call-me-Geoff-I’m-not-a-pretentious-dickhole Ramsey work on the curriculum for a philosophy major to introduce through the school’s humanities department, or grade the multiple choice and short answer portions of finals for him, even helping him make and send professional Christmas Cards or otherwise just generally doing his work study job as Geoff’s office assistant would be better than going home for Christmas break; and part of Jeremy actually wanted to go home. 

Friday night before finals week, Jeremy thought he was heading back to his dorm. Get packing out of the way. Except somehow he found himself back at Geoff’s office. He’d just auto-piloted directly to his own desk. dropped heavily into his chair, taking several deep breaths, and going for his timesheet. Before he could log his unprofessionally late work hours, the door separating the front of Geoff’s office from the deeper part, his personal office, opened. “Jeremy?” Geoff’s voice was concerned, but tight. Jeremy had intruded.

“I have a couple unfinished projects I wanted to get through before vacation.” He explained. 

“You’re not trying to sneak a paycheck for cramming for finals, are you?” Geoff teased. 

Jeremy groaned. “I don’t want to talk about finals. I’m a freshman, how did I end up with all classes that have essay finals?” He shook his head and confessed “I got drunk on Wednesday and knocked out all of my rough drafts, then booked three consecutive writing lab appointments on Monday. They’re going to hate me.” 

“I didn’t hear you say that.” Geoff acknowledged with a smirk, Jeremy knew he didn’t actually care if his underage students, especially his closer ones, drank. “It sounds like you have things in hand...a quick proofread this weekend wouldn’t hurt.” Geoff approached and sat on the corner of Jeremy’s desk. Then he leaned in and pulled away his time sheet. Jeremy’s heart rate went up and he tried to keep his breathing normal, pretending that his favorite professor and boss wasn’t so close to him that he could smell hard alcohol on Geoff’s breath and a hint of his soap lingering from that morning. “It’s too late to be working tonight.” 

“What are you doing here then?” Jeremy asked, pointedly, with completely fake innocence. 

Geoff snorted and leaned in. “What’d I tell you about acting like I was a role model?” He leaned past Jeremy and, okay, was holding eye contact while he put the timesheet away really necessary? “Go home, Jeremy.” Geoff’s voice was hard, and Jeremy might be wrong to hear a double meaning in it. Geoff just meant to the dorms. When Geoff pulled away and started back toward his internal office and Jeremy stood to follow. When he got to his desk, Geoff looked up to see Jeremy following him and commented “If you walk through that door I have to decide between being a jackass and breaking the law.” As he poured himself another, Jeremy wished he knew of how many. 

“That doesn’t seem like a hard choice for you.” Jeremy remarked, following him only as far as the doorway and leaning against it. Waiting in the liminal space between his own office and Geoffs, the implication that Geoff would be tempted to offer him a drink drawing an invisible line he didn’t know why he was hesitant to cross. 

Geoff smiled around the first sip of his drink. “...are you calling me a jackass?”

“You call yourself worse almost daily.” Jeremy defended as he stepped carefully into the office. 

Geoff sighed heavily and pulled out a second glass, pouring a small amount from the bottle and pushing it toward Jeremy with the longsuffering explanation “Yeah, but you’re special.” 

Jeremy took the glass quickly and took a long sip from that just to push down the blush that threatened at Geoff’s words. He sat on the corner of Geoff’s desk and lowered the glass to watch as Geoff took a long drink of his own. He hesitated another beat before asking “So what’s the occasion? Drinking this late at work.”

Geoff huffed a single syllable laugh and pronounced simply “Finals are coming.” 

On one hand, that couldn’t possibly be all that was driving Jeremy’s genius professor to be an unprofessional lush. On the other, in some circles unprofessional lush and Geoff Ramsey were rumored to be synonyms. Jeremy took another long sip, trying to drown his self-indulgent suspicion that there was something more to it than that. “Getting rid of your stash now so you won’t be tempted to grade drunk?” he offered playfully after a moment.

“You know, that’s a really good idea.” Geoff grinned, pouring himself another. 

Jeremy rolled his eyes and finished his own drink. Geoff promptly poured him a second.

They were a little past friendly courtesy. A little past the special favors earned by being a favorite student. They were in the realm of too many drinks and eye contact that lasted a little too long and made him a little too warm. Jeremy held Geoff’s gaze and sipped the liquor and tried to pretend is rising blush was just the alcohol and not the intensity of his the eye contact. They were in the realm of taut silence in a space usually filled with deep, but animated conversation that made him fall in love -  
That gave im new appreciation for Geoff -  
For his favorite professor and employer every day.   
It was different right now.  
“So.” Geoff interrupted. “What are your holiday plans?” 

“Home.” Jeremy answered. He was counting on the word to hide his irrational disappointment. Home was a good word, it meant good things. So did “Family.” a slight shrug, another sip from his drink, then concluded awkwardly “Christmas...things…” 

Geoff snorted. “Sounds...fucking fantastic.” the sarcasm in his voice was so thick it...honestly neared bitterness. 

It hit Jeremy all at once, knocking the breath out of him. He didn’t want to assume, and so he forced the question “What about you?” 

“Home.” Geoff answered, the bitter tone fading from his voice. Jeremy started to relax as Geoff shrugged and added “Friends, probably.” he took another drink and concluded, mockingly “Christmas...things…”

Geoff smirked over his glass at Jeremy, who rolled his eyes. “It just...it’s gonna be weird.” Jeremy admitted. “I’ve only been here for nine weeks but it already feels like my whole life. Like I can’t imagine a world outside of college anymore.” 

“That’s how it gets ya.” Geoff agreed. “I warned you. Academia will eat your soul.” he stood slowly as he spoke, setting his glass on the desk and stepping close to stand over Jeremy. His reflex was to stand as well but he knew if it helped at all it would really be by a matter of less than an inch or two and honestly it would just make it that much more ridiculous. “...sure you’re not ready to run screaming?” 

Jeremy grinned up at him “Ask me again on Tuesday.” and just like that Geoff had crossed into his personal space and everything changed. 

Chemistry. 

News Anchors had to have good chemistry to be kept on the air together. Comedy duos or teams. Bands. So Jeremy had never really thought much of the term when it was applied to romantic leads in movies, or even to real life couples. If you’d asked Jeremy yesterday, he’d have agreed that he and Geoff had great chemistry. They worked well together and played off each other well and Jeremy learned from him well. 

Jeremy hadn’t known what that really meant or how far it extended until this moment. Geoff’s mere physical proximity had sucked his breath out of him and he bit his lip to keep what was sure to be a completely inappropriate sound from escaping him when Geoff leaned in and put his hand on the desk - directly over Jeremy’s hand, covering it. “Why did you come in?” he asked softly, from far too near. 

They both knew what was going to happen. Jeremy was sure of it. It was the only reason for Geoff to get this close to him, to touch his hand like that. They stood close together before but not…  
This was his chance to say no.   
He didn’t say no. Instead he reached up and rested his opposite hand just where Geoff’s neck and shoulder met, palm flat against his collarbone. He could feel Geoff’s breath catch. There was a sharp sort of intimacy to the moment that had caught Jeremy and he leaned into it with a rare moment of complete honesty. “Because I’m going to miss you.” 

It was a sappy, pathetic thing to say. It did the trick though. 

Somehow the space between them disappeared. His arm slid around the back of Geoff’s neck and across his back. Geoff’s opposite hand came to rest on his face and the fingers closed around his hand on the desk. But most importantly was that their mouths met. 

Later, Jeremy would remember it as one of those perfect kisses, like in the movies. Before the end of the school year, Geoff would deconstruct this memory by pointing out how incredibly awful his own breath had to be by that point, how they’d come in at a bad angle initially and had to move in for a second try to get it right. How they’d both gotten in their own way when they tried to get tongues involved and at one point their teeth had collided accidentally.

All Jeremy could tell him was that it was still perfect, because Geoff had been more then a little drunk, and still remembered that much detail months later. 

It hadn’t escalated into anything beyond kissing that night, though Jeremy offered. They drank more, talked a little. Not really about them. About anything but them. Jeremy’s papers, The philosophy major. They drank more, and kissed more, had pseudo-academic conversation that ended with Jeremy acquiring a reading list for Christmas Break. Somewhere along the lines they fell asleep on the floor of Geoff’s office. 

There were a lot of reasons this wasn’t right, but there were more reasons it was. They’d have a lot to talk about when Jeremy came home-   
Back.  
When Jeremy came back. 

Who was he kidding?   
Home is Where the Heart Is.


	9. The Shower Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set in the same 'verse as Day 6. The rest of break leads to some...problems. 
> 
> Day 9 - Thirdwheeling

Gavin’s birdlike scream echoed through the house and Geoff found himself scrambling to the upstairs bathroom to find out what had happened. The scene when he arrived, bathroom door open, Gavin soaking wet, soap in his hair, wrapped in a towel that’d been hit by the still-running shower spray and the cause of the screaming, Jeremy, standing closer to the doorway covering his eyes with one arm and blindly groping for the doorway to leave with the other.

Geoff took Jeremy’s hand and tugged him from the bathroom. “Jesus Christ, Gavin. We all have the same parts around here, you didn’t need to freak out.” 

“But he’s your boyfriend!” Gavin protested

“Ooohhh my god…” Jeremy mumbled, tucking his face up against Geoff’s shoulder “Michael’s gonna kill me…” 

Geoff sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “Michael’s not gonna kill anyone, Jeremy. Geez. Gavin, get back in the shower.” and with that he slammed the door closed and put an arm around his boyfriend. “You alright, Lil J?” 

Jeremy nodded a bit meekly and Geoff walked him downstairs to the living room. Once out of the scene, Jeremy burst out laughing. “Holy shit, Geoff...Gavin just...lost it. I guess I did too?” 

“Yeah you did.” Geoff responded. He considered, then asked “what even happened?” 

Jeremy sobered again and looked at Geoff sheepishly. “I thought he was you?” Geoff slowly put the pieces together from that, and a moment later dissolved into laughter. Jeremy rolled his eyes as they settled on the couch. “Okay, it’s not that funny.” 

“Yes it is.” Geoff argued, still laughing.

“Okay, it is.” Jeremy agreed, starting to giggle again. 

They curled into each other on the couch, cuddled together giggling. Eventually a fully dressed and still very red Gavin with damp hair came and joined them. Sitting on the far end of the couch and going for the remote. “Netflix?” he suggested, so innocently it set the other two off again. 

Around the time Geoff stopped laughing because Jeremy was laughing too hard to breathe and the older man had to get his boyfriend some water, Gavin bailed. Better to just spend the rest of break hiding in his room then keep third wheeling these lunatics. Maybe Michael would be around to skype.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I've kept you waiting forever and it's super short. I'm sorry.
> 
> The truth is I just need to get past the next couple days of this challenge and then we can get back to the good stuff, I promise.


	10. Time to Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 10 - Flustered
> 
> Set in the same 'verse as Chapter 2

Geoff was drunk the entire afternoon. Jeremy did not, could not take that as a good sign. 

“What’d you say to him?” Jeremy demanded, pulling Ryan aside just before leaving work. 

Ryan looked Jeremy dead in the eye and answered simply “I told him what love is and asked if there was anyone he felt that way toward. He left for drinks, so I’m guessing it’s not me.” 

“Ryan!” Jeremy scolded because he didn’t know what else to do. He scolded because he didn’t dare hope.

The next morning when Jeremy got to work, Geoff was the only one there. The greeting “hey Lil J” was carefully neutral enough. 

“Hey Geoff.” Jeremy slipped into his desk, put on his headphones, one ear on the other back, and became absorbed in his work without another word. He wasn’t sure how much later it was that he finally became aware Geoff was talking to him. Pulling off his headphones he looked up abruptly. “What was that?” 

Geoff’s expression went from...something intent? To frustrated in an instant. “...oh you’re fucking kidding me.” 

“What?” Jeremy blinked. 

“Nope.” Geoff stood up. “No way, not saying any of that again. Sorry. You try to figure it out yourself, I have a meeting.” and with that Geoff took off. Jeremy tried to call after him, but nothing coherent came out of his mouth. 

Seeing Geoff for the rest of the week was frustrating and exhausting and Jeremy never knew what to say to him. Because he had no idea what Geoff said to him. The weekend home alone was even worse, completely disconnected from his life at Achievement Hunter. He streamed just to keep himself occupied, but he wasn’t ready for work on Monday. 

He waited in his car a good five minutes before walking into the office, and sure enough, it was just Geoff. “Alright.” he said finally “I can’t do this anymore.” he took a deep breath, then asked “How’d your talk with Ryan go?” 

Geoff looked up. “I told you already.” 

“I wasn’t listening!” Jeremy half-shouted “I was working! Geoff...Geoff, I love you, but if you wanna have a heart to heart with someone you really need to make sure you have their attention first.” Geoff went strangely quiet. He didn’t respond, he just stared at Jeremy until Jeremy’s heart was racing and he couldn’t breathe. “What?” Jeremy demanded. 

“You do, huh?” Geoff asked, voice soft but challenging. 

Jeremy was confused for a beat, then he realized what he said and flushed dark red. “Geoff I…” 

The next thing he knew, Geoff was kissing him. 

Jeremy only hesitated a beat, long enough to process the slimmer body against his and mouth pressed to his before he wrapped his arms around Geoff’s waist and kissed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like this collection and want something I've written for your very own, good news! I'm taking commissions! 
> 
> Contact me on Tumblr or Discord (FriendlyCybird in both places) if you're interested. Or if you just want to say hi!


	11. Dead Weight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 11 - Rest
> 
> Summary - The problem with a rush that hard though is the subsequent crash. Jeremy crashed harder than most when he did, and would often sleep for twelve or more hours after a heist. If for whatever reason, counting, security, anything, he didn’t get this sleep, once he had the chance to rest he’d be completely useless for days.

Heists were great adrenaline rushes. The problem with a rush that hard though is the subsequent crash. Jeremy crashed harder than most when he did, and would often sleep for twelve or more hours after a heist. If for whatever reason, counting, security, anything, he didn’t get this sleep, once he had the chance to rest he’d be completely useless for days. 

After this latest heist, Jeremy had payments to make. They’d borrowed against their payload from the job to cover equipment costs and Jeremy had a few lenders to go make happy. Normally it was the sort of thing Jack would handle, but Jack insisted on everyone else being about to do all of her jobs at all times. It was a symptom of an acute sense of mortality that the rest of them didn’t properly share. Or at least that’s what he called it when he didn’t feel like accusing the team second in command of being lazy. 

He also owed Geoff a blowjob. 

His leader and boyfriend got him off in turn, snuggled in behind him and jerking him off. Then they relaxed and settled in for the cuddles. Or at least that was all Jeremy wanted to do. He was just beginning to drift off pleasantly when he realized that Geoff’s hand was gently wandering across his body. Jeremy’s eyes open and he asked gently “...what’re you doing?” 

“Learning.” Geoff answered gently, shifting closer and lifting is his head to rest it on Jeremy’s shoulder. “You’re so short I keep forgetting how much of you there is to get to know.” he turned his head, pressing a kiss to Jeremy’s collarbone before nuzzling in and petting Jeremy’s side. 

Jeremy snorted and tucked his head down to kiss Geoff’s shoulder in turn. “We’ve been together for almost a year and you’re still learning my body?” 

“I was too busy getting to know the rest of you.” Geoff argued, more gently than his usual playful retorts. Jeremy felt his breath catch and Geoff looked at him. “You pushed too hard this week, didn’t you?” 

Jeremy wanted to answer honestly. Wanted to tell Geoff yes, that he needed rest. Instead he just answered “If I can’t pull my weight I’m useless to you.” It was obvious from the way Geoff paused that he was hurt. Moreso when he sat up suddenly. Jeremy reached for his boyfriend demanding “What? Geoff, it’s true, what…?” 

“I can’t believe you’d even imagine you aren’t pulling your weight.” Geoff scolded. “...and I hate that you think you could ever be useless to me.” 

“Geoff.” Jeremy propped himself upon his elbows. “I love you. Really. ...but if I’m ever just your...lover? And I become dead weight to every part of the crew but your penis, I really need you to kick me out.”   
“Only way anyone else is leaving this crew is a body bag.” Geoff grumbled, arm winding around Jeremy’s waist as he leaned into his shoulder again. 

Jeremy pressed his weight harder onto one elbow and reached to stroke Geoff’s back. “I know.” the answered heavily. 

Geoff looked up for just a beat, then leaned up suddenly and kissed him hard. “No.” he answered. “No. Jeremy I’m not letting you go.” he paused, then “I don’t even know why we’re talking about this. The shit we do is hard. Really intense life-and-death stuff. It’s okay to shut down afterwards. You pull through when we need you to, but honestly if no one’s gonna die if you don’t jump in, you officially have my permission to delegate. You know we’ve got B-Team for a reason.” 

“Fucking heroes. All of them.” Jeremy mumbled, dropping back against the bed and wrapping his arms around Geoff. 

Geoff laughed. “No, if they were heroes they’d be fighting us. Damn good gangsters is what they are.” 

“Amen.” Jeremy agreed. Then he shifted, stretching the best he could without letting go of the older man. “Thanks for the reminder. You’re so good to me it’s easy to forget you’re the big bad.” 

“Mmm, how am I good to you?” Geoff asked suggestively.

“Like this.” Jeremy grabbed him tight and rolled, flipping them over and leaning over him. He kissed Geoff hard. 

Sometimes rest was a bit more athletic than other times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If You like what you've been reading, say hi to me on tumblr. I'm FriendlyCybird there too. I'd love to chat and I'm taking Fic Commissions Still!


	12. Carbs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 12 - Shopping
> 
> Less then five hundred words about Jereoff grocery shopping.

“Geoff. I love you. No.” 

“Why not?” Geoff protested, tugging the shopping cart away from his boyfriend. “You love when I make Italian!” 

“That much carbs will kill me, Geoff.” Jeremy argued, going for some of the packages of noodles Geoff had unloaded into the cart. 

“This isn't for all at once!” 

“Even if it's spread out over the entire month, no. We can't do this much pasta.” Jeremy put several bags on the shelf, leaving about half as many as had been selected. “See?” he commented after several seconds “See how long this is taking me?” once he was satisfied there was few enough bags he stopped and sighed. “There. That's good for this month.” 

“Uh-huh. And we're suppose to get enough meat to make up for all of that pasta?” Geoff antagonized. 

“Meat, Vegetables, maybe some...” he swapped out a regular bag of noodles for a set of wheat noodles “healthier...options.” 

“Are you trying to make me eat healthier?” Geoff teased, starting to push the cart past all the noodles. 

“I'm hoping to get US to eat healthier.” Jeremy answered, stopping by the pasta sauces. “You know.” he commented. “I could make sauces instead of us buying these.” 

“That's more ingredients. More Money.” Geoff argued. 

Jeremy sighed. “We're not broke, Geoff.” Geoff withdrew, pushing the cart past the pre-made sauces. Jeremy let him go, grabbing about half a dozen jars before following. He set the jars in the cart and Geoff startled. “For nights we don't feel like doing much.” Jeremy explained. He paused then “...are you okay, Geoff?”

“Yeah just. What you said about not being broke.” 

“That's a good thing, right?” Jeremy asked, confused. 

Geoff nodded. “Yeah...yeah it'll...just take some getting use to.” he paused, then “I don't just save money 'cause I'm use to being broke. It's for doing nice things for ourselves. Nice things for you.”

“and hey, I'm not against eating cheap.” Jeremy countered. “I just also want to eat well.” he tugged at Geoff's arm. “Wanna keep you around and...I just wanna be healthy.” 

“Totally understandable.” Geoff agreed. “That'll just. Also take getting use to.” he sighed and said “I'm not use to having someone to look after with food choices. ...and c'mon, it's not like I was getting big, greasy burgers to eat every night.” 

Jeremy groaned. “If we could stop making fun of my diet from college...” 

Geoff smirked. “Never.”  
Jeremy groaned and pushed the cart into the next aisle.


	13. Music

Music wasn’t exactly something Jeremy shared with Geoff. 

It wasn’t exactly private either, but it felt that way sometimes. More often than not he got his music while working out, through headphones. It was something completely separate from his boyfriend, who had no strong opinions of 90’s Rock, except that it wasn’t his style. Geoff didn’t listen to a lot of music, not the way Jeremy did. Sometimes he’d just flop down on the couch, headphones in, and listen to music, not doing anything else. 

When he did that, Geoff would join him. Not to listen to the music, he’d just sit there beside him. Sometimes Geoff would turn sideways and put his legs over Jeremy’s and read a book like that. Jeremy would rub Geoff’s leg absentmindedly as he listened. Sometimes one of them would lean over and give the other a kiss. Later on, the song Geoff kissed him to would repeat and Jeremy would look up and give his boyfriend a dopey smile until he got another one. 

It was a common enough way to spend quiet evenings at home. When they weren’t playing video games or Jeremy wasn’t working on one of his many projects. 

Jeremy never shared his music with Geoff, but they shared their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not much of anything, but I've been struggling to write lately so I'm pretty proud of this little ficlet.


	14. Stargazing

Jeremy was suppose to be asleep. Burrowed deep under his blankets, the cold night air was kept at bay everywhere but his face. He thought about covering his face, but couldn’t bear to muffle the sounds of the night around him. Specifically, the shuffling and ambient human noises of his on watch King. It made Jeremy a little uncomfortable, for the King to be on watch. Not owing to any mistrust, only a strong sense of duty. But they were on a long journey and Jeremy knew he needed sleep to be an alert guard. 

“You, uh, you should be asleep.” Geoff echoed his thoughts from mere moments earlier. 

Jeremy rolled onto his back, turning his head to look up at his King. He allowed himself to speak the first lie that came to his lips. “The stars are too bright.” 

“Then close your eyes.” Geoff admonished. 

“I don't want to.” Jeremy answered. He was looking at Geoff when he claimed “They’re beautiful.” 

Geoff snorted, and looked down at the ground. Then up at the stars. Jeremy looked at the stars as well. They were beautiful, and bright enough to be a distraction when he looked up. The moon was visible, waxing gibbous, brighter than the stars. He should have complained about moonlight. 

The King shifted suddenly and Jeremy looked at him. Geoff got up from where he was sitting and scooted over, then laid back, dropping his head on Jeremy’s shoulder, eyes up on the stars. Jeremy’s heart raced from the proximity. “You know, that’s something that I...that I really appreciate about you, Jeremy.” Geoff said. “Here we are, on a mission, maybe a dangerous one...and you’re taking the time to watch the stars.” 

That sat wrong in Jeremy’s gut. Deeply, fundamentally wrong. So wrong that he blurted “Your majesty I was lying…” 

“I know.” Geoff cut him off. Jeremy could hear his grin and felt more than a little frustrated by it. There was a long moment of silence before Geoff added “I still appreciate it.” leaving Jeremy to wonder if he meant the real reason Jeremy was having trouble sleeping, or just the stargazing. 

Either way Jeremy’s eyes drifted closed and, the reassuring presence of Geoff’s head on his shoulder, Jeremy fell asleep.


	15. Rainy Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lazy Rainey Day

“No it’s still bad out there.” Jeremy observed, pulling his boxers back on and moving away from the window he’d just peeked out of. 

Geoff groaned unintelligibly. Then he shifted and buried himself deeper under the covers. 

“Comfie?” Jeremy teased, climbing back into bed with his boyfriend. 

“Mmmmmm, mhmm.” Geoff mumbled. Jeremy laughed and curled around him, pressing his toes against the inside of Geoff’s knees and making Geoff yelp from the cold. “God, Jeremy, you’re freezing. How’d you get so cold so fast?” 

“I don’t know if you noticed, but it’s cold in here.” Jeremy teased. 

“We could turn up the heat.” Geoff suggested, sitting up slightly. 

“Sure, if you’re paying my electric bill.” Jeremy was a bit fussier than strictly necessary. 

Geoff smirked “Not what I meant.” 

Jeremy smiled and they kissed, long and slow, hands wandering until Jeremy pulled back. “Geoff, I still need time to recover.” 

“Yeah, so do I.” Geoff grumbled. 

They laid down together, Geoff’s head on Jeremy’s shoulder, Jeremy’s arm around Geoff’s shoulders. Blanket covering both of them. Bunched between them to cover up to Geoff’s neck without covering Jeremy’s head. 

Jeremy made a quiet, contented sound, and followed it with “if the rain doesn’t let up you’re gonna have to stay the night.” 

“Won’t you get in trouble if I stay the night again?” 

“Not really, besides, I’d rather you stay safe.” 

Geoff pulled Jeremy just a little bit tighter. “I’ll be fine.” he said, “but let’s hope the rain lets up.” he paused a moment, then asked “how fucked up would it be to order take out in this weather?” 

“Pretty fucked up.” Jeremy answered, then “but I’m hungry too.” 

“What do you have to eat?” 

“That doesn’t involve cooking?” Jeremy pointed out. 

Geoff groaned. Jeremy curled against his side. “Maybe we can cook.” Geoff suggested, “Cooking together is fun.”

“Sure Geoff.” Jeremy answered “We’ll cook. Just as soon as we feel like getting out of bed.” 

“When did we get so lazy?” 

“It’s a lazy day.” 

They stayed warm under the blankets for another several hours.


End file.
